Knockdown chair



' Nov. 11, 1952 T. F. DEBSKI xnocxnowu CHAIR Filed Jan. 25, 1950 INVENTOR. Theodore F. De bski ATTORNEY- Patented Nov. 11, T952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOCKDOWN CHAIR Theodore F. Debski," Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application January 25, 1950, Serial No. 140,389

1 Claim. 1

This invention is an improved article of furniture, and more particularly an article of furniture comprising several unitary members constituting the principal parts, all joined together with each in its proper place.

An important object of my invention is to provide an article of furniture made of parts that can be easily assembled and detached from one another, and so constructed that the weight of the parts insures their continued union and any additional weight on the article acts to make the connection more secure so long as the article remains set up for use.

A further object is to provide an article of furniture with its members united at the corners, said members being designed to be joined by moving the parts in a predetermined manner to assemble them; and in the reverse manner to separate them.

The nature and advantages of the invention are set forth in the ensuing description and the novel features are defined in the appended claim. The drawings illustrate a preferred form of my invention, but changes in structural details can of course be adopted without departure from the genera1 plan by which the invention is distinguished.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the back frame or member.

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the shape of the side members.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the front member.

Figure 4 is a top plan of the seat frame.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the completed chair; and

Figure 6 shows a detail, in section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

The invention is presented as embodied in a chair, but it may have the form of a sofa or other article and still contain the same characteristics.

The chair as shown comprises a back I, front 2, sides 3 and frame 4 to bear the seat. These members are preferably of open framework, braced to make them strong and rigid throughout. The back member has uprights 5, joined by a top piece 6, and cross pieces 1 near the lower part; the upper cross piece being united to the top 6 by vertical braces 8. The side members 3 have uprights or legs 9 at the rear, and pieces I0 joined to the posts 9 at one end to make the horizontal arms for the sides, and bent down to make uprights or posts at the front. The vertical portions of the pieces I0 and the uprights 2 9 are braced by cross bars II. uprights I2 connected by a bar l3 at the upper ends and a cross bar I.

The back I has projections in the form of metal studs or pins I4 projecting sidewise from the posts 5. These studs are one near the top and the other just below the upper crosspieoe I. They are inclined downward and both are preferably in the plane of the framework I. In the sides of the legs 9 of the frames 3 are matching holes or bores I5 to receive the studs I4. These bores are also inclined downward and the planes containing them are substantially perpendicular to the frames 3. The back and sides are assembled by lifting the former until the ends of the studs I4 register with the holes I5 and then pushing the back down until the studs I4 are fully within the bores I5. These members can then be disconnected not by lateral movement, but only by movement of one or the other diagonally with respect to the height of this chair.

The front 2 has similar inclined studs I4 projecting sidewise from the posts I2 to enter inclined bores I4 at the inner sides of the uprights formed by the front Parts of the pieces ID of the sides 3. Hence the front and sides can be joined in the same way as the back and sides and all four members be assembled without tools and firmly joined together; and can only be separated by lifting the top and front, or depressing the sides, and giving said members relative motion sidewise away from the positions they fill when joined to one another.

The top bar I3 of the front and the upper bar I and II in the back and sides are in the same level and the seat frame 4 is of a size to fit within the space encompassed by these bars. The frame 4 has studs It at its forward edge projecting out at right angles to be pushed into holes H in the top bar I3 of the front 2; and the rear portions of the upper bars II of the sides 3 have openings I8 in line with openings I9 in the frame 4. Suitable bolts 20 are pushed through these openings and secured by nuts to hold the frame 4 in place. Also the posts 5 and 9 have registering holes 2| near their lower ends to receive a long rod 22 to be engaged by a nut on its end to make the parts fast at these points also. A similar rod can be used instead of the separate small bolts 20. The bolts 20 and rod 2| look all the frames in assembled relation- The design thus lends itself very nicely to the building of a chair or other article, especially of rattan or other rods, though the invention is not limited to such material or to the form or shape The front 2 has of a chair, as it may be embodied in other forms having the same general design.

The chair or like can be easily and inexpensively produced and readily set up or taken down. The only tool needed is a small wrench to remove the nuts on the parts 20 and 2|, and not even a wrench is required if wing nuts are utilized.

The lower ends of the posts 9 may be inclined backward somewhat just below the rod 22 to give the chair greater stability; but the lower ends of the posts 9 may be bent rearward beginning at any other convenient point, such as the junction of the posts 9 with the upper bars ll. Also the upper parts of the posts 9 can be bent back, together with the posts and braces 8, beginning at any convenient point.

The studs H1 at each side of the back frame 1 and forward frame 2 must of course be parallel to each other and more than two studs may be used if desired. The bolts 20 are carriage bolts with oval heads and square shoulders, and the nuts 20 should preferably be wing nuts, to be readily tightened by hand without a tool of any kind. The rod 22 can of course be replaced by bolts and wing nuts to secure the back and side frames together.

Also the upper bars I I can slant rearward towards the ends of the lower bars 1. The seat frame 4 will then be inclined slightly towards the back of the chair.

Having described my invention'what I believe to be new is:

A support comprising front, back and side frames, the front and back frames having par- 4 allel projections one above another at each of their lateral edges extending outward and downward, the side frames having on their inner faces at the front and rear matching recesses at the same inclination as said projections, into which the projections are inserted, a seat frame surrounded by the aforesaid frames, studs extending outward horizontally from the front of the seat frame, the front frame having recesses on its inner face at the top to receive said studs, bolts engaging the side frames and seat frame and a transverse retaining rod passing through .the'back and side frames at the rear of the support.

THEODORE F. DEBSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany 7 Dec. 17, 1913 

